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Perry powers YSU past Cleveland State
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Youngstown State’s Kendrick Perry goes up for a layup against Cleveland State’s Marlin Mason (21) during a game Monday at Beeghly Center.
By Steve Wilaj
YOUNGSTOWN
He put the team on his back, supplied one of his best performances and provided the final defensive stop with the game on the line and only five seconds remaining.
Finally — and fittingly — Penguins guard Kendrick Perry unleashed the Superman celebration just seconds after YSU’s 67-66 win against Cleveland State on Monday at the Beeghly Center.
“I didn’t want to celebrate too early because with a good team like Cleveland State, five seconds can seem like an eternity,” Perry said. “Once the buzzer hit all zeros, I think that it was time for me to come out of my shell a little bit.”
The senior guard played like a man possessed all night, pouring in 31 points on 10 of 15 shooting. Even more, he rescued the Penguins (11-8, 2-2 Horizon League) from a loss on a few occasions.
“I thought both teams played hard and played well,” YSU coach Jerry Slocum said. “We just had a really good player make some great plays in the last minute.”
The Vikings (10-8, 2-2) led 63-58 with 3:52 remaining before Perry — who poured in 11 straight points in the first half — scored the last nine for YSU.
His final points, which ultimately proved decisive, came on a ducking layup to tie the contest with 26.4 seconds remaining. Perry was also fouled on the play, connecting on the free throw to give the Penguins a one-point lead.
“It looked like they were going to hedge [the screen from Bobby Hain],” Perry said. “But I saw my opportunity to go baseline and I took it and they called the foul.”
That set up the final CSU possession, which received second life when Hain traveled with five seconds remaining after grabbing a rebound off Anton Grady’s missed jumper.
Vikings guard Bryn Forbes, who finished with a team-high 17 points, then received the inbounds pass, fumbled the ball and missed a long 3-point attempt as Perry smothered him.
“KP did a tremendous job and just locked him up,” Slocum said. “I think it was one of his better clutch games. As good as he was at the offensive end, he was just as special defensively.”
YSU forced the Vikings into 21 turnovers. None was more crucial for CSU than when Trey Lewis stepped out of bounds after receiving the inbounds pass with 36.2 seconds remaining, setting up Perry’s decisive and-one layup.
“We gave the game away in two minutes,” CSU coach Gary Waters said. “We turned the ball over the last three of four possessions. It’s uncalled for and we’re better than that.
“They didn’t create any turnover that we made. We just made it on our own.”
Slocum disagreed, crediting the Penguins’ resiliency.
“I just thought our guys showed great character tonight,” he said. “We showed a lot of toughness.”
Hain added 10 points and six rebounds for the Penguins, while Weber also had 10 points.
“It’s huge to get this first out of four at home with a great crowd,” Perry said. “We’re gonna take this momentum and try to ride it.”